


This Life is Mine

by NocturnalDaydream



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Echotale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Anxiety, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader uses female pronouns, Reader-Insert, Reverse Harem, Slow Burn, anti-harem
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28559706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NocturnalDaydream/pseuds/NocturnalDaydream
Summary: In your previous life, you were just trying to get through your life – whether it was juggling work and college or surviving an encounter with one of your cousins' skeleton boyfriends.All alone.Somehow, you're taken back to a year before everything changed. What happened? You don't have a clear memory. One thing is certain though, you weren't going to waste this second chance at life.You weren't going to live with your cousin, you weren't going to take crap from anyone anymore, and you certainly weren't going to get involved in the lives of those awful skeletons.… So why the HELL are they popping into your new life?!
Relationships: Papyrus (Undertale) & Reader, Papyrus (Undertale)/Original Character(s), Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader, Sans (Undertale) & Reader, Sans (Undertale)/Original Character(s), Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 225
Kudos: 467





	1. A New Start

**Author's Note:**

> Been wanting to write my own take on an Anti-Harem fic, but wanted to add a slight twist to it.
> 
> Edit: Forgot to add the links to the fics that inspired this fic! My bad! DB
> 
> This fic was inspired by:  
> -[The Understudy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20819807/chapters/49490048) by Fizzleup  
> -[There's Still Magic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352289/chapters/55946242) by RosesCry  
> -[House... Mate?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24130873/chapters/58098121) by Darkross

“ _You need to stop being so needy. You're getting more than you deserve in this situation, you know.”_

“ _INSOLENT HUMAN! HOW DARE YOU LIE!!!”_

“ _the hell is wrong with you?!”_

“ _WRETCHED THING, ARE YOU THAT DESPERATE FOR ATTENTION?”_

“ _really can't seem to get anything right, can ya?”_

“ _I... I Wanted To Believe You Weren't Bad, But...”_

“ _just stay away from my bro, alright? don't need you messing with his head...”_

“ _WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING? SURELY YOU CAN BE BETTER!”_

“ _stay out!!! it's gonna-!”_

_Brightness, earsplitting explosion, and then darkness. A ringing in your ears, just numb all over, everything fading into nothing._

_Can't move, can't feel, can't breathe..._

_Breathe. Just need. To BREATHE._

* * *

Eyes opened in an instant, gasping for air. You laid stock still, afraid to move even an inch, feeling a tightness in your chest. A strange numbness fades gradually.

Blinking, you could only stare up at the ceiling. It looked familiar, but... Something felt off. Wrong.

Slowly, you bring yourself to sit up, glancing around the room. Your room. At least, the one back home.

You turn to your side, hastily searching for your phone. One of the last things you remember was being in your room at the lodge. When did you get back home?

Once on, you saw no new messages to explain what you were doing here. For that matter, it seemed a good chunk was missing. A glance at the time, you saw it was early in the morning.

What caught your attention and breath was looking at the date. It wasn't just a different day, it was a different month and year. Making a quick calculation with the date you remember from before and the one shown on your phone was at least a year difference.

Looking over at your desk, you could see a uniform carefully folded on your chair. After managing you get up for a closer inspection, you froze. This was your housekeeping uniform, a plain shirt and pants. The one you wore almost every day to your job at the local hotel in your hometown.

You weren't sure how long you stood there, mind scrambling to process what the hell this was when a knock was heard. Instinctively, you flinched, pulling the phone close to you, as if hoping for some sort of protection.

The sound always elicited fear into your heart after your time at the Lodge. It often meant you were going to get an accusation thrown your way.

Instead, once the door opens, you are greeted by the face of your mother.

“... Uh, mom? Wha-?”

“I see you managed to get up on time. Be sure to get ready for work.” Without another word or giving you a chance to respond, your mom shuts the door.

Work? What was she talking about and why wasn't she commenting on you being home so suddenly? You at least hoped for an explanation!

You raced out of your room, seeing the familiar hallway that leads you towards the kitchen and living room. This was indeed your old house, the one you grew up in.

“Mom! Wait!”

You find your mother nearing the front door, her work clothes on. She gives a tired sigh.

“I'm sorry, (Y/N), but I gotta head to the office early. Your father is waiting for me! We'll talk later.” With that, your mom turned, pausing only to turn back to quickly add, “Don't forget that Lila is visiting later this week, said it was urgent and was having trouble reaching you.”

And with that, your mother hastily shut the door to reach the car. The sound of a vehicle started before fading as your parents drove away.

The numbness in your chest returned, your legs automatically walking to your room. You soon found yourself getting dressed on autopilot. The entire time trying to process what even was going on. As your brain was slowly waking up, started to come to the crazy idea that maybe, just maybe you went back in time.

… God, that sounded like part of a plot of a movie or something.

* * *

It was strange, but you were just starting to accept the crazy possibility that you weren't dreaming. That this was indeed a year into the past.

Sure, you had memories of before, but also the ones from a year ago, or rather the ones here in the present. Almost as clear as day like it was just recently. You didn't have any trouble remembering the route to the hotel, automatically making a quick stop at the gas station for a drink and a quick breakfast, you even used the same employee entrance as before.

It felt fresh in your mind, as if the whole year in Ebott didn't happen, that you hadn't left for college yet. Like everything didn't happen, but the memories kept coming back to you, ones as clear as the day to you as well.

After the morning half of your shift, you find yourself alone in the break room munching on your lunch, thinking about your situation, about your cousin.

Lila Pryce.

The two of you had grown up alongside each other. She was a girl who had everything; no shortage of friends, performed spectacularly academically, and always looked gorgeous. Whether wearing the latest fashion or even just wearing simple, yet cute clothes, appearing humble and perfect.

Meanwhile, you mostly made friends online with strangers you were never going to meet, passed your classes with grades only slightly above average, and preferred wearing comfy, second-hand clothing than worry about your appearance.

Why bother? Most people didn't even notice you existed, and you were comfortable with that, even if it felt lonely at times.

The only reason the two of you were around each other was that both your parents worked together. Lila's father was the CEO of Pryce Trading, an international trading firm, your parents were both office workers at the said firm; your dad being a director for marketing while your mother worked in accounting.

You weren't sure how this arrangement came to be. But since then, you had always stuck by Lila. Or at least, stuck in her shadow.

Whenever the two of you had the chance of being around each other at school, whether in class, in the cafeteria, or even passing the halls, you couldn't help but notice how many people kept comparing the two of you. How flawless and talented Lila was and how kind of her to go out of her way to be friends with a nobody like you.

Even during family events, you mostly kept to yourself, despite your parents' insistence to converse with your relatives. It'd be basically the same at school, only there be questions about whether or not you have made new friends or if you had any intentions of improving school.

Deciding to set aside the remaining scraps of your food, you began pacing around the break room, a habit of yours when stressed. You also recalled how differently you both spent your time after graduation. For two years, you started working at a local hotel, saving both paychecks and whatever scarce tips you earned to help pay for college expenses.

Lila, meanwhile, spent that time relaxing, wanting to unwind from the stress of completing high school. It wasn't too big of an issue for her, since it seemed that she had both the brains and money for college.

You recalled in the previous life on a familiar moment, once you and your parents were certain that you had saved enough to help with the tuition fees for college; Lila had decided to ask these friends of hers if it would be alright for the two of you to move into their home during school.

Of course, your parents were on board with it; they trusted your cousin, believed that you weren't ready to handle life outside of their guidance just yet. And while moving in with a stranger far from home was terrifying, it did sound like it would make things easier. You would still be working, both for your expenses and paying off your student debt.

What was left out was that you'd be staying at a Lodge owned by Lila's many friends – and the fact that they were walking, talking skeletons. Eight to be exact. All of them dudes.

It had been a couple of years since the monsters of the Underground had emerged, integrating into society amongst the humans. Starting businesses, sharing knowledge, and forming bonds. Not that you had any problems with moving in with monsters, despite the fact they were guys, a part of you thought it would be cool, that they were cool. Your first experience with monsters – if only your past life had a better one.

The guys at the Lodge seemed keener on interacting with Lila, not that you blamed them. She was, once again, everything you weren't. Though a few of them were decent to you at first, giving you the false hope of becoming friends.

After a couple of weeks of moving into the Lodge, Lila had begun dating most of the skeletons. It didn't strike you odd at first, since she always was on the dating scene during high school days, though those dates were more casual, never really blossoming into an actual relationship like with the skeletons.

When you had curiously asked about it, your cousin sternly explained that what she and the boys had was called a polyamorous relationship – she also specifically told her NOT to have any word of this relayed back to her family. At the time, you weren't sure why that was. She never hid her dating from anyone back home, but she didn't parade that info around. There certainly weren't any monsters in your town.

Shaking your head away from things that didn't concern you, you continued your mental revaluation of the previous life experiences. Many of those skeletons were wooed by not only her beauty but also her good deeds.

The guys always got mad when you insinuated that _you_ did chores around the house. You had done them cause Lila informed you that you had to earn your keep. How could they not notice that? Sure, a lot of the stuff you did around the Lodge was done out of sight of the skeletons was on Lila's insistence of earning your keep.

Whether it was cleaning the kitchen to baking a batch of cookies. Some of the things you did were of your own free will without being told just to be nice. Regardless, they never believed you. Not only did that earn ire from most of the guys, but they also ignored you whenever possible.

Then strange accidents happened around the Lodge; possessions either missing or found broken. Some even somehow managed to make their way into your room – though none of them belonging to you.

This often led to many arguments, insisting that you didn't know how they got there only to be brushed off. Some of the more aggressive skeletons would even grab you roughly just to scream in your face. Their claw-like hands leaving bruises, you even recalled receiving a few faint scars from their unforgiving grips.

Wincing at the memory, you began rubbing your forearm out of habit.

The one good thing about this weird situation was that the injuries from before were gone, so you didn't have to worry about covering them up. The instance you had forgotten to lead to receiving questioning looks. Somehow, you weren't sure by who, but word spread that you were self-harming yourself. You half expected professors to step in, but nothing happened, aside from more people avoiding you.

You pause in your pacing around the table, feeling your stomach churn with dread as more of reality sunk in. This was two years after graduation, the month before you went off to college, before you moved in with-

Shakily, you take in a few deep breaths, leaning against the wall for support before sinking to the floor, more memories of the Lodge rushing to your mind. You clutched your arms around yourself until knuckles turned white, trying to find some comfort.

Nononononononono... You couldn't go through hell again, you just couldn't!

“Uh, you alright?” Looking up, you could see Margaret, one of your fellow maids staring down at you, mild concern across her aged face. You could see a Tupperware containing what was most likely her lunch. Normally you were a fast eater and the first in the break room during lunch. You didn't have anyone to communicate with during your breaks here.

And here you were, sitting on the floor of the break room, curled into a ball and hyperventilating looking like you were having an anxiety attack – which was true.

God. What a sight you must have been.

“Y-yeah, I'm... I'm fine...” You shakily bring yourself up, your coworker raising a disbelieving eyebrow. Probably wondering why you were acting dramatically in your emotions.

“It's... It's just getting close to leaving home... For c-college...” It was getting close to that, just a month away. It felt more like a prison sentence, especially with what was waiting for you.

The older woman stared a moment longer before giving an understanding hum. “Gonna be a real change, out there in the real world.”

You nod, numbness refusing to fade away. Not noticing the concerned look as your gaze dropped back to your lap. So absorbed in your thoughts, you don't even hear the footsteps coming your way.

What were you supposed to do? You couldn't go through a repeat of living at the Lodge again, couldn't live with Lila and her psycho boyfriends again. So what-?

You jolted at the feeling of something wrap around your shoulders, a sharp breath inhaled. Not feeling hard and sharp of bones, you instead feel something warm and soft. Slowly, you look up to see Margaret, who had managed to kneel to your level. While she looks puzzled, you could see the warmth in her aged face. Compassion that rarely came your way during that year.

“I know moving out is a big change,” She was probably thinking it was just simple things like leaving both a town and a home you grew up in. God, if only that!

"Remember, sweetie. This is going to be a new chapter of your life. Gonna be tough, but it's yours to decide.”

Her calm and gentle words soothed your nerves, if just a little bit. You recalled how Margaret was one of the few people here at your old workplace that was decent to you. Back then she was a tough, but fair woman. Rather, she still was.

She even felt like another mother at times. You wondered not for the first time how different your relationship with your mom would be if she was this patient.

Squeezing her hand, you smiled weakly. “Thanks, Margaret. I-I needed that.”

The older woman gave another squeeze before letting you go, despite every part of you wanting more comfort, a small part of you remembered you were both at work.

“Just try to hang in there, alright?” After giving a numb nod her way, Margaret grunted as she pulled herself up, automatically, you found yourself helping.

Throughout the rest of the break and your remaining shift, her words repeating into your mind. That this life was yours to decide.

* * *

Not going to college or even moving to Ebott sounded good to you, especially since you could just go to a community college in your home town. However, your parents were adamant for you to get a proper education and leave the nest. You had the sinking suspicion that they didn't want you to stay and stick to nothing with your life.

Despite all the hard work you've done before with school and your job, they still were certain that you weren't the perfect daughter that they seemed to crave. Compared to Lila at least.

You paused your typing, pressing the palm of your hand against your chest, an uncomfortable tightness that seemed to keep returning.

How often have you had decisions made for you, how often had you done everything and gotten so little in return? Hanging around Lila only to be in her shadow and being at her beck and call, moving to Ebott with her because no one believed you could make it on your own, hell even your office major was chosen for you by your parents! Wanting you to follow in their footsteps and get a “real” job in business like them.

Leaning back in your chair, your other hand reached up and rub between your eyes. You still didn't understand how you got sent back in time, but this wasn't a chance you could pass up. If this was a new chapter of your life, and a new start, then you had to figure a way out of the hell hole you seemed destined to fall in.

And thus, this had lead to your job searching once you reached home. While your body ached and your mind felt foggy, a strange new sense of Determination flooded through you to get to work on finding places in Ebott. Both work AND apartments.

You sighed, staring through the list of various job openings that were in the city. In your previous life, you got a job at a convenience store. The pay was pretty low and limited work hours, none of it totaled up to help pay for the necessities you needed. Past you didn't want to go back to hotel services again, since a lot of them seemed far more intimidating in the city.

However, you needed to step back into that field, exhausting or not. It was better than the alternative. The only problem was finding the right place.

Ignoring the tightness in your chest, you carried on with your search. When you were done with sending a few job applications and resumes to some of the hotels and other higher-paying job offers, you turned your attention to apartments. At least your folks were helping with the tuition fees. That said, the money you had been saving was going to have to go into finding a place to stay and some places in the city were pricey.

You paused once your gaze fell onto an apartment suggested in your search. The picture showed a basic, but clean building. Some of the example photos showed off some of the units. You turned your attention to the pictures and the price. At the price, you assumed it would be cramped with filthy walls and floors the chance of bugs or other pests crawling around.

Instead, the rooms looked nice; clean, fairly decent sized, and the windows granting a decent amount of sunshine and had blinds for privacy. A basic beige painted walls and hardwood floors The openings listed, surprisingly the chance to move in next week. While part of you was cautious of this being misleading, you knew you didn't have the luxury of being picky.

Taking a deep breath, you began typing out an email to contact the complex. All you could do was hope for the best and keep looking.

* * *

Since then your newfound Determination, every day after work you repeated this process – search for suitable jobs that you could balance with school work and apartments that would be affordable, safe, and within the range for both the university and work.

You did all this while pulling a few extra shifts at work.

Many of your coworkers were surprised by this sudden change, but made no comment. Your parents didn't even seem to notice your absence or how you secluded yourself into your room almost daily. Though the latter was probably not too surprising.

So much time had blurred past you, you had completely forgotten about Lila. Until she came knocking.

You had been so engrossed with your current search that you nearly fell out of your chair. The sound of knocking, even if it was gentle, still left you unnerved. A lot of things had unnerved you.

Taking a deep breath, you did your best to compose yourself; you noticed the strange looks you received when at work. Whether it was just someone knocking on a door or even just someone getting close to pass you, flinching and bracing yourself for the worst seemed to become second nature to you.

The last thing you wanted was to draw attention to yourself, to be reminded to stop being overdramatic and needy.

Once you were certain that you were calm, you opened the door to find your cousin. While you both had different hair and eye colors, there were some people who mistook the two of you as sisters – somehow. You weren't entirely sure why.

Not even waiting for a response from you, your cousin walked past you into your room. You did everything you could to hold back on flinching, but thankfully Lila gave no indication of notice. There was no reason to even be frightened of your cousin; while always in the spotlight, she's always been sweet and well-mannered. Even now as she spun around with a look of excitement in her eyes.

“Hey! Guess who's back from the city?” Lila then gestured to herself, continuing on in her sweet, angelic voice, “This girl~! Aaaand I've got great news.”

You felt your stomach twist – oh God, this was it. The offer to move in with her and her future boyfriends!

“Since moving out to college is going to be scary and tough, managed to talk to a few friends of mine, they said that there should be space at their home for both of us! Said that the rooms would be ready right before school starts. Isn't that great?”

“Uh, actually...” Lila paused, anything else she was going to add stopping, staring when you had spoken up. Normally there was very little room for you to contribute in a conversation, not that you needed to with your cousin. She was far more comfortable with socializing, so it made sense to you.

“I've... I've found myself an apartment...”

There was a moment of silence, your cousin staring at you with open confusion. “You... Got an apartment?”

Well... You had sent out applications, but so far you had no responses.

“Y-yes...?”

“... Did you get a _job_ yet?”

“Yes, i-it's at a hotel...” was your immediate response, but you knew otherwise. It was the same thing with apartment searches; applications sent along with resumes, all of which were mostly hotels. So far nothing as of yet. God, it felt awful to lie, but you couldn't bring yourself to admit that you've found nothing yet, especially with school coming close.

There was more silence, the expression on Lila's face was unreadable, unnerving.

“It's going to be expensive handling everything, especially on your own.”

She didn't need to state the obvious, you knew it would be hard. But you couldn't just say that her future boyfriends would be abusive towards you, now could you?

“I know, but-”

“So just forget about it!”

Lila interrupting you was nothing new. But hearing the slight sting in her voice, you turn your attention back to her. Had you not been heard it, you probably wouldn't have noticed the slightly agitated expression on your cousin's otherwise calm and friendly expression. The kind she used to be patient with you when you were getting too emotional and problematic.

“You do know it's tough for people to live on their own, right? No one is just going to hand you a job or make your living easy.”

“I-I know, but-”

“So you know that _you_ of all people wouldn't last long, _especially_ without anyone helping you, right?” You wince at Lila's tone. She wasn't entirely wrong, but...

Something seemed off.

“I... I know everyone is worried for me, but...”

“Yeah, everyone is worried,” switching from a stern expression to a more gentle, yet strained one, she continued, “So let's not let them worry by staying with me and my friends. _Okay_?”

You frowned. The way she put it sounded final – and in a way, it almost felt like it. The sinking feeling in your chest felt akin to that of the final nail hitting a coffin. No words came out, your throat felt like it was tightening, you could only nod.  
Almost instantly, her expression returned to the usual sweet and cheery, almost as if the conversation never happened. “Great!”

Before leaving, Lila turned towards you, grinning ear to ear, “Now, don't forget to cancel the apartment plan, alright? Don't want you to have to deal with any of that! And make sure your job isn't too far from campus either. I'll give you the details later~”

With that, your cousin departed, a gentle click heard as the door was closed. A numbness spread throughout your entire being, but you could feel faint traces of anxiety beneath the surface. All you could do was sit on the bed and lay your back onto the familiar surface.

God, everything was gonna stay on track, everything was gonna repeat itself. And you couldn't do anything about it.

Despite the panic slowly surfacing, confusion was followed alongside it.

Lila's attitude was... perplexing. To you, this made sense. Seeing as how Lila was going to enter a relationship with those boys, you shouldn't be there to get in the way. There was no real need for your dear cousin to have you as a tag-along to the Lodge, even if it would've been financially better.

… So, why was that an uncomfortable weight in your chest growing? Why did the thought of your cousin being set on you being at the Lodge feel off?

Taking in a shaky breath, you slowly sit up, glancing at the monitor. You were still nowhere close to finding anything solid, especially since college was gonna start in less than a month. You recalled the previous life you and Lila had moved into the Lodge a couple of days before classes started. How were you supposed to find a place within that time frame?

This information and Lila's words rang into your head, a sense of hopelessness swirling inside your heart. All this and Margaret's words.

_Remember, sweetie. This is going to be a new chapter of your life. Gonna be tough, but it's yours to decide._

Those words alone seemed to give you the strength to pull yourself off the bed, walk over to the computer, and return to your search. Even if you couldn't find anything and got zero responses, you felt the strange urge to keep trying.


	2. A Chance Given

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With two interviews, you brace yourself for whatever may come your way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was inspired by:  
> -[The Understudy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20819807/chapters/49490048) by Fizzleup  
> -[There's Still Magic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352289/chapters/55946242) by RosesCry  
> -[House... Mate?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24130873/chapters/58098121) by Darkross

It had been a couple of days since your talk with Lila, making no actual promise to give up on your plan. However, with the time limit closing each day, your dread was certainly rising. Sometimes it was even difficult to get through a shift at work without feeling like everything was closing in on you.

On your current break, you flicked through your phone, checking for any new messages and researching more places in Ebott. After setting your phone down, you subconsciously rub your forearms.

Goddammit, why did this have to be so hard? Why couldn't this weird time loop thing or whatever it was send you farther back, why a month before the move to the Lodge? You would've been more ready before then!

“You doing okay, sweetie?” You felt yourself flinch slightly, turning towards the other side of the break room table to see Margaret finishing up her lunch. Ever since your near-meltdown a week ago, you started to notice how often Margaret seemed to gravitate towards you, assisting you as much as she could during work shifts when partnered up.

And since then you had done your best to repress your anxiety whenever something simple had happened. It didn't feel right, getting extra attention like this, all because you couldn't keep your emotions in check.

“Yeah... Yeah, just looking through stuff... Got a job interview in Ebott tomorrow.”

So far, you had only one email was recently sent to you from one of the hotels you had applied to in the city, setting a time to have an interview with you in person the next day. From what you recalled about the job posting, it would be a housekeeping position at the Regal Rose, a rather popular hotel chain that had only started in the recent decade.

Leaning back in your chair, you rub a headache forming away, feeling only a little of the anxiety slightly fade away. So far, this was the only response you had received from all the jobs you had applied for in the city of Ebott. Jobs that would fit your schedule, but also wouldn't overwhelm you. You were going to do whatever it took to do better in this new life, but you weren't going to push past your limit. At least, you'd try not to.

“The city is certainly going to be a big change from a small town like this,” Margaret said with a nod, taking a napkin to wipe her hands and mouth. “Have you had any luck on finding places to stay?”

You grimaced slightly, barely touching the sandwich you had packed. Once again, there was still no luck in finding yourself a studio and there was no guarantee that this job would accept you. “No... Nothing yet...”

“But you do got a job interview coming up, so that's at least something,” Margaret reassured. “Any progress is progress, even if it doesn't seem much. Just gotta be patient.”

You nodded in agreement, feeling the usual numbness that came from the dread and depression in the case you fail, in the case of moving to the Lodge.

There was no way you were going back to that. So you were going to do what you could to not give up. No matter how tired you were, physically and mentally.

While so absorb with this, you nearly jumped out of your skin at the sound of your ring tone, almost falling to the ground from your chair in the process. Once you grabbed your phone, you nearly drop it, recognizing the number from the apartment listed. You felt your palms sweat and stomach twist nervously. You had hoped that they would just give you a reply to your email. You never could handle phone calls too well but would steel yourself for crucial ones.

And getting a place to stay that wasn't at the Lodge was crucial. You tried to even out your breath as you answered, waiting to hear a voice on the other end. “H-hello?”

Were they calling to inform you that there weren't any unit openings? What if they had high expectations you couldn't meet? What if you had to live in your car before getting a place? What if the call was computer-operated? Oh god, you hated having to listen to a monotone voice, giving you options as you tried to focus on the instructions!

Instead of that, you were greeted by a friendly voice.

“ _Hello,_ _my name is Mirage from_ _Solace Apartments, we received your request not too long ago._ ”

You almost stopped breathing – Oh God, a person! Was this better?!

“ _Hello, anyone there?_ ”

Realizing that they were still waiting for a response, you hastily replied, “U-um, hello! M-my name's (Y/N), (Y/N) (L/N). I-I saw you... Your listing for openings at – at the apartment complex...?”

You cringed at your awkward voice, resisting the urge to hang up and curl into a ball. Damn your introverted, socially awkward ass, DAMN IT!

The person on the other line didn't seem the least bit fazed by it, or at least you assumed. Margaret had even moved to the chair next to you, rubbing your back comfortingly.

“ _W_ _e_ _do_ _indeed_ _have a studio_ _within_ _a_ _week, actually,_ ” The voice was amiable, easing your nerves slightly. They patiently continued, “ _Now then, I_ _'m going to have to set up a meeting with you,_ _just a simple interview._ _Would tomorrow be alright?_ ”

“O-okay? I mean, yes, tomorrow works!” You quickly scrambled for a pen and paper, Margaret had slipped you a notepad and pen, usual things that are placed in every guest room at the hotel and often stocked on the carts.

After giving a quick thank you to the older woman, you jotted down the time and address of the meeting; it would be in the afternoon within the city, the location at a cafe called The Spiders Parlor. Once there, you'd meet up with Mirage to discuss the details in person.

You were so focused on staying calm on the phone while jotting all this information down, that you didn't even stop to process the strange name or how Margaret raised a brow at the name she read. Too busy thinking of how to survive tomorrow. It turned out it would be a little after your interview with one of the hotels you applied to.

“ _Lovely! I'll be seeing you soon! Please take care._ ” And with that, a click on the other line was heard, ending the call.

Setting your phone down shakily, you began to realize how sweaty your palm was. God, that was nerve-wracking. Now you had two interviews to worry about!

That said, the fact that both a hotel and apartment complex responded to your messages made you feel – accomplished? You couldn't really articulate what you were feeling at that moment.

Looking up, you see Margaret offer an attentive smile, arm still around you in a half-hug, “See? Just had to be patient.”

Even with your nerves, you managed a smile and nod, feeling like you were indeed making some sort of progress.

* * *

The next day, you made sure that you wouldn't get any calls from work. Your manager, like Margaret, was surprisingly understanding, even though you never really spoke with him much – a lot of your coworkers seemed more patient around you this time. While it was nice, you felt a little uncomfortable at what was possibly special treatment. You didn't do much to deserve it.

You looked yourself over the mirror; the outfit had been a dress shirt, a pair of slacks, and dress shoes, gifts from your aunt and uncle when you first went job hunting. They felt a tad snug in some spots now, but still, fit fine and made you look a tad more professional than usual.

Despite how nice the look was and how you were grateful it still fit, you couldn't help but feel like a little kid playing dress-up, but without the joy of it. Didn't matter how grown-up you were or how professionally you dressed, you still felt like you were only pretending to be an adult.

Pushing this insecurity aside, you exited from the house, feeling the morning chill and gentle sun rays; it was early in the morning, you wanted to get to Ebott before the job interview. You also wanted to leave a little after your parents left for work.

You didn't want them asking you any questions of why you were heading to Ebott dressed up like this. Chances were that they wouldn’t accept vague answers, agree that Lila's offer would be the only option that was best for you. It'd be better to wait until you were certain you got a job and place first, then you could explain to your parents where you'd be. Something solid. You'd think of something by then for your argument when the time came.

… Hopefully...

Once inside your car, you took the usual couple of tries to start before the engine came to life. Pulling out of the driveway, you made your way towards the city of Ebott, the anxiety still not fading as you passed through your familiar hometown. You still made your way forward, whether you felt ready or not. The future wasn't going to wait for you to be, so you sure as hell were going to do what you could to change it.

* * *

The Spiders Parlor was a rather unique cafe, the smell of cider and cinnamon in the air swirled around you the moment you walked in.

It was a pleasant scent, yet not overwhelming. The decor seemed to bear some similarity to some cafes you had passed on occasion but had a slightly more fancy style to it – one that also seemed to have a spider theme as well. There were spider web patterns in the chairs, tables, and flooring. Even the lady behind the counter matched the spider theme going on, being a spider monster herself.

When the monsters had arrived up on the surface, one of the first things done for them was setting up an entire district for them. A place where they could feel safe while setting up their own homes and businesses within the city.

There had been many who had chosen to live on the outskirts of the city, close to the wilderness where the mountain they had emerged resided, not feeling ready yet to integrate with the rest of the humans, making a town for themselves in the process.

You've heard of both the district and town, but hadn't really been to either; too busy with school and work while also worrying how other monsters would be like. It wasn't fair that many of them were getting treated poorly even after all these years, but your experience with the skeletons had left you more than a little skittish even around humans.

Even with your own issues, you had always been curious about getting the chance to see more of these places, see what sort of shops they had, especially after hearing from many of your classmates talk about the various items you couldn't get anywhere else. You even saw how many had close relations with other monster students.

You allowed yourself to wonder for a moment about how things would've been different before living at the Lodge, would you be able to make friends with monsters as well? Not that you had any luck with making human friends; sure, you exchanged pleasantries with others during school and got along well with your colleagues, but you never got around to hang out or really talk to them.

… Maybe this time around things will be different?

Making your way to the counter, you glanced around, not really sure what you were looking for. It was then that you realized that you didn't have a description to go on for Mirage. Once the spider lady was free at the counter, you approached her.

“Uh, e-excuse me...”

The spider lady smiled cheerily, even with her fangs noticeable. All while you were trying hard not to think about other fangs you had seen before while being yelled at. “Oh! A new face! Welcome to the Spiders Parlor, dearie~”

Not wanting to be rude, you quickly ordered a cup of Spider Cider and a Spider Donut before asking, “I-I'm looking for someone named Mirage, is, uh, is she-?”

“Oh, so you must be the who she's waiting for~! She's at the back table over there,” Muffet gestured to the other side of the cafe where a fox monster sat, dressed nicely, yet casually. Currently, she was going over paperwork with a pair of glasses resting on her snout. Her fur was a lovely dark red shade with dark markings.

After receiving your order, the drink giving off a pleasant scent of spices and the donut a curious purple shade, and thanking the polite spider monster, you went to make your way over to the back.

Even if you were doing your best to be polite as possible, you couldn't help the twinge of annoyance at your behavior. Muffet hadn't even done anything, yet you were still acted like a frightened child. God, how were you going to get through this interview? It was a wonder you managed to get the job at the Regal Rose, you should be overjoyed and feeling mature.

Once near your destination, you cleared your throat and the female fox monster glanced up from her paperwork.

“I'm (Y/N) (L/N), are you Mirage?”

“Yes, good to meet you, Miss (L/N),” Mirage smiled politely, extending a paw to you for a handshake, which you nervously accepted. If she noticed, she made no comment.

“I love coming here, Muffet certainly makes the best pastries in the city. It certainly helps that it's not too far from the complex.”

You nodded in agreement; even if you hadn't tried the food yet, it smelled delicious. “It's pretty fancy here, but it does feel pretty chill too.”

You eyed both the drink and pastry curiously before taking a bite of the lavender-colored pastry. It had a strange texture in your mouth but tasted rich in flavor. Something you'd never expect from eating something like a donut.

Once getting the papers ready, Mirage began, “Alright, so I need to ask you a few questions before anything is decided.”

The questions went on about asking you about what you'd be earning from your work, if you were in school, had any pets, or if you had any sort of criminal record. As the interview went on, you felt your nerves ease up. At the final question, Mirage had an unreadable expression.

“Finally, I would like to know if you had any opposition being neighbors to monsters or any sort of prejudice.”

Her cautious tone made sense; even if it had been years since monsters rose to the surface, there had hardly been any sort of equality between them and humans. You recall how the previous life, there had been numerous hate crimes committed, both sides getting hurt due to the actions of bigots.

It almost made you rethink moving to this district – if not for the reminder that this might be your only chance to avoid the Lodge. You then realize that throughout the interview, you had been rubbing your forearms out of nervous habit.

“I... I don't have any prejudice against monsters. I may have had a bad run-in with one before, but I don't want to judge anyone for that one incident.”

Even though you managed to say this so easily, you still felt nerves kicking in, uneasy about not telling the full truth about what had happened. But it wasn't your place to talk about it or even Mirage's to know about it. Wasn't like you could explain that you had traveled back in time, especially when you didn't have a logical answer for that.

You also really didn't want to hold any sort of negative feelings towards other monsters; there was no way they could be bad as the skeletons had been. It didn't sit well with you to discriminate against a species for what only a few had done to you.

Mirage kept her gaze on you, but rather than press you for answers, she continued.

“Normally we don't have any units available around this time, but we do indeed still have the studio you applied for open.” You nodded understandably, recalling how your interview at the Regal Rose had said the same; the only reason they gave you the job was that someone else had backed out.

“Before we make any sort of agreement, there is one thing I need to inform you about,” Mirage held up a clipboard, a number of forms attached along with a pen.

“Solace Apartments is mainly a residence for monsters, though we do make exceptions for humans. That said, for a whole month, you will be on a trial run; if there are no issues of you living there, no conflicts with the other tenets, and so forth, then you are more than welcome to remain as one of them.

“However, if there is any harassment reported, any payment for rent missed, then we will have no choice but to terminate your lease. Is this understood?”

You nodded, feeling only slightly nervous; what were the chances that your neighbors wouldn't take too kindly to a human moving into their building? Or that your actions would be mistaken for bigotry?

“Alright then. Now, before I have you sign anything, would you like a tour of the unit?”

You give a nod, curious to see if the studio lived up to the photos, feeling excited at getting your own place. It almost felt too good to be true!

Just as you and Mirage rose from your seats, the bell heard from the entrance rang. Walking right through were two familiar figures you had been hoping to never come across again, especially in this new life. Before you were two of the skeletons from the Lodge.

Both tall, dressed in orange, but with differing styles. One with a sucker between his teeth wore a simple orange hoodie while the other wore a dark, heavy coat with fur trim with a hint of orange, the hood pulled over his skull. You recall their names being Stretch and Rus.

You feel your body instinctively lock in place, barely hearing the world around you, the comforting aroma of the cafe now felt overwhelming. Oh God, you weren't ready for this. You just weren't!

Heart hammering in your chest, time felt like it was slow, your muscles tensing in the case you needed to run, and blood pounded in your ears so deafeningly, you were certain anyone else would hear. Despite all that, nothing had happened.

The two skeletons seemed to engrossed in some sort of conversation and – once at the counter – too focused on speaking with Muffet. Finally tearing your gaze from the skeletons, you saw Mirage waiting at the entrance. With how calm you managed to force yourself, no one seemed to pay attention to any distress you were showing, everyone just kept moving on with their business.

That said, you still felt yourself on high alert, even as you neared the doors. Mirage had raised a brow at you but said nothing.

Once out of the cafe, walking a few feet away from the entrance, you finally turned around to see if you were followed. After a quick scan, you could see that they were nowhere nearby. That they hadn't just appeared out of thin air in front of you, as they usually did in the past life.

You finally allowed yourself a shaky breath out a sigh of relief, catching up to Mirage, the complex just on the other side of the corner. Even if you were going to be living in this district now, wanting to give befriending monsters a try again, there was no way you were going back to the Spiders Parlor.

Shame too since Muffet seemed nice and her baking was incredible, but it wasn't worth the risk to run into any of the skeletons.

* * *

You paced around your room, waiting for your parents to both be home, having sent them a text earlier wanting to talk. You kept going back and forth with pacing and packing, going over in your head how to explain to your parents that you wanted to live on your own. It had been a few days since the interviews, you still felt lingering anxiety from your panic at the cafe.

Despite that scare, you now had a job waiting for you, starting a couple of days after you move into your studio. Mirage was even willing to change the move date a little sooner than a week, so that saved you from having to make a long drive to and from your new workplace.

The studio was indeed in quality condition, and while it didn't stand out by being plain, it was lovely and suitable for your needs. During your time at the apartment complex, you took note of the security they had to offer. Security cameras were placed in the entryway and halls, the doors either leading to the hall that leads to the units or other areas for the tenets had a security lock that only allowed any who lived in the building through. And even though the parking lot didn't offer much protection or privacy, there were cameras outside the building as well.

You even ran into a few of the other tenets; a few were human, but a majority were indeed monsters, all in different shape and form. While some were eying you with caution, they had been nothing but friendly.

You didn't want to give up this new chance for a safer environment than the Lodge.

And while your new workplace was going to be tougher, it did have more promising pay than the one in your previous life.

Before you had sent in your resignation to your now former workplace, Margaret had somehow caught wind of the news and provided you with a congratulatory cupcake, wishing you the best of luck. And you may have teared up a bit – especially when she gave you a hug goodbye.

While in the middle of debating what you'd be able to fit in your car, you heard the front door, a conversation heard muffled by the walls. Your parents had returned.

After taking in a calming breath, you exited your room, making your way to the entryway.

“Mom, dad?” Both parents looked towards you, whatever conversation they had was interrupted. You normally would've waited for dinner time to speak with your parents, where both were relaxed and more open to discussion. However, time was of the essence if you wanted to be ready on time tomorrow. You were too busy and anxious to eat with them, especially if they choose to discuss work with each other over conversing with you.

“What is it, honey?” You winced at the term of endearment from your dad but reminded yourself that he was not one of the skeletons. Even though he had been lazy, the skeleton who often used that nickname with others was still an unsettling monster.

“I've... I've been thinking about my plans for college, for a while now,” You almost felt like just running to your room, not wanting to deal with any expected rejection from either parent. Somehow you managed to steel yourself to continue.

“I managed to secure a job and studio in the city. Both places I got to take a look at and meet the staff, they are good and the areas they are in are safe.”

There was silence, both of your parents staring at you with open shock.

“Uh, honey,” Your dad began carefully, looking concerned, “Living on your own is not an easy feat; especially when leaving home for the first time.”

“Not to mention since Lila already managed to talk to her friends into letting you both stay with them,” was the flat interjection from your mom, expression stern and arms crossed.

You inwardly wince, expecting these responses. Even though this is the first time your parents mention Lila's plan, it didn't surprise you that they conversed about it without you.

“I already spoke to her about this; she knows I got an apartment and a job,” you explained, surprised with how even you kept your voice was despite your anxiety(and annoyance) rose. It wasn't a lie and you didn't actually _say_ you would cancel your plans for your cousin. So no real need for you to feel your stomach twist into knots.

Of course, it was strange to finally make your own plans for the future, even more so to say so against your family.

You could see your parents' exchange looks, your dad with his brows furrowed with concern while your mom looked somewhat frustrated. Taking in a deep breath, you continued carefully, “Even if things don't work out for me at the apartment, there is still the chance to move in with Lila and her friends. But I need to try living on my own, I want to have a chance.”

There, that should at least convince them; that your incredible cousin would be your safety net if things turned south – not that you believed they would. You had too much determination and hope to believe otherwise.

While your dad seemed to be taking in what you were saying, your mom was another story. The older woman just merely shook her head, not really taking anything else into consideration.

“Well, what about Lila? What do we tell your cousin, especially since she went through the effort to convince her friends to let you stay with them?”

“Mom-”

“City life is difficult, especially for someone as vulnerable as you. Even more so if you live alone.”

“ _Mom_ _-_ ”

“You can't handle that sort of thing by yourself, rent and school aside, you'd still have a large amount of expenses to-”

“ _ **MOM!!!**_ Just listen to me for once!”

Your mother paused mid-sentence, staring at you in shock. Your father looked surprised as well; never once had you raised your voice to them. You could feel your body shaking, throat threatening to close up with emotion. Somehow you were able to keep standing and your voice firm for what you said next.

“Just... Just let me prove I can do this. Just this once. Like I said, if I fail at this, at least I'd have Lila's offer to fall back to. And when the time is right, I'll move out from her friends' place to live on my own.”

As your mom was recovering from the shock of your outburst, your dad placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hun, maybe it is for the best. She won't get a chance if we don't let her.”

There was a long pause, the suspense thick in the air.

After what felt like an eternity, your mom finally looked over to you. “... Will you at least give us an address for both? We just want to be sure we know where we can reach you.”

While her tone was firm, it didn't have any impatience or frustration.

Nodding, you gave off the address and name of both the hotel you'd be working at and the apartment complex where you'd be staying. The dates of when you'd be moving out and when you start your job. You even included the amount you'd be paid at your job and how much rent would be.

“Would it be alright if I have my dinner later? I want to get what I can get packed and ready for when I leave.”

Your mom sighed nodding, making her way to the couch. Your father meanwhile smiled tiredly. “Well put your plate in the fridge.”

After you made your way back to your room, you lean against the door, sliding down to the floor. God, even though they agreed, you could still feel your body shake, numbness having long been given away for adrenaline during the conversation. It all felt unreal, even though you had only just spoken moments ago; you had actually stood up against your parents.

Glancing over to the half-packed boxes and bags, you remembered that you weren't done yet. You still had to get everything ready for your move soon.

As you folded a few more of your clothes, you knew it had to be soon; if it was this agonizingly draining to convince your parents, Lila would be a different story. Once you were settled, you'd talk to her. Maybe then you'd be ready to convince her to let you prove yourself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that it took more than a month to get this chapter up! Haven't been feeling too great lately, but doing what I can to get my creativity rolling.
> 
> But I'm really happy with how it's coming along now, really overwhelmed by the support and positive feedback. I hope I can keep up the good work.
> 
> Also, kudos to those who figured out where the inspiration for the title of this story came from~ :)


	3. Moving Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day has finally arrived, you officially start your new life. Things seem different so far and luck seems to be on your side!  
> Surely, nothing will be the same as the previous one... Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was inspired by:  
> -[The Understudy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20819807/chapters/49490048) by Fizzleup  
> -[There's Still Magic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352289/chapters/55946242) by RosesCry  
> -[House... Mate?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24130873/chapters/58098121) by Darkross

Going forward wasn't easy, in any sort of situation. Whether in school, work, or a new place, it always left you feeling anxious. Moving out of your childhood home, away from everything you knew and people you were accustomed to interacting with, to say it was a nerve-wracking feeling would be an understatement.

In the previous life, when you had moved into the Lodge with Lila, you assumed that things would have some semblance of your days before college, if only just under a different roof and with one or two people you probably met during school.

Instead, it was with a big group of guys you didn't know and wish you had never met.

Those days included being locked away in your room, doing your own thing, whether it was relaxing after a long day at work or finishing school papers. Only being dragged out to hang out with your cousin. It was a comfortable lifestyle – to a degree, at least.

And of course, it didn't last long. While you were used to doing housekeeping at a hotel and completing chores at home, more than often pitching in with cooking, helping keep a home of ten people was overwhelming when combined with your other responsibilities with earning money or continuing your studies. You knew that there were times that your family appreciated your efforts, even if it was always unsaid. They were aware of the work you've done and acknowledged it in their own way.

The skeletons at the Lodge always assumed that you never lifted a finger to help out, always leaving Lila with all the work while either lazing about in your room or causing trouble in the Lodge. It didn't help that some of them either played pranks on you or were especially aggressive whenever scolding you when they were certain that you were lying to them.

This time around, you weren't going to repeat that sort of hell; starting today you were moving to the city of Ebott, moving into your first apartment.

After a quick, last-minute inspection of your room, looking for anything you might have forgotten to pack, you give a tired sigh while sitting on your now-former bed. Unfortunately, you didn't have the room in your car or the money to hire a van to take much of your things with you. That included your bed and computer.

Staring longingly at your beloved technology, you reminded yourself that you needed to do what you could to survive this new life on your own. That included making a few sacrifices in luxury. While grateful that your father gave you his old laptop, stable enough to help work on school projects and internet surfing, it was not strong enough to properly play any of your games on your Steam account without crashing, even when just trying to launch a game.

In the previous life, Lila had managed to convince her boys to hire a moving van for her stuff while only allowing a small number of your possessions into the van, including your beloved computer. While mourning the loss of playing your favorite PC games, you at least still had your old 3DS and had Internet access. If the latter was gone, you were certain you'd lose your mind, especially with school starting.

A rental van would've been pointless since you didn't bring much to begin with and you desperately needed to use what money wasn't going towards your tuition and savings for your other expenses. Of course, college debt was something you had to deal with – both in the previous life and more so in this new one while living on your own.

Oh, what joy student loans and debts will be later on.

Once rested, you managed to pull yourself up, everything still not feeling real yet. Not just at the fact that time had re-winded, giving you the chance to live on your own – that would forever feel strange. No, it was the fact that you would be moving out and on your own.

* * *

“That everything?” Your dad asks, helping you examine your handiwork; when packing, you had to make sure that nothing would block the mirrors while driving.

“Yeah, this is it.” This was going to be one of the first steps into moving on your own. Your stomach twisted slightly with nerves, wondering not for the first time if you really could do this.

You flinch slightly when your dad pulls you into a hug. He pulls back with a slightly apologetic expression.

“Sorry, it's just... Wasn't expecting this to be how we'd see you off to college,” his voice carried with a small bit of emotion, something that wasn't there in the previous life.

Back then, when you were helping load stuff into the moving van, your parents kept both their emotions in check, your dad helping you move your things in with Lila's, acting as if this wasn't anything new.

Perhaps he wasn't worried back then since your cousin would be with you every step of the way. This time around, you were on your own. The uncertainty resurfaced momentarily, only to be swept away with the sudden pride that you were in fact doing this.

Gingerly, you hug your dad back; it wasn't that you weren't close to either of your parents, things just felt distant as you got older. It still felt like a lifetime since you last got to see them in person, even longer since you got a proper hug.

You both pull away when you heard your mom clear her throat. Normally, you recalled her was always strict, keeping a stern expression that seemed permanent, not even giving you much room to talk. Right now, your mom was silent for a moment, expression unreadable when looking you in the eye.

You expected her to argue her point of you not being ready for this, that it wouldn't be too late to take up your cousin's offer. Instead, she then handed an envelope to you.

Blinking in surprise, you carefully grabbed it, the envelope feeling slightly thick. Flipping it around, you read the large words written clearly on the back.

**For food and gas only.**

Feeling even more bewildered, you look back at your mother, not sure what was going on. Shifting uncomfortably, your mom began, “It might not be much, but you will definitely need something to help you before your first paycheck is available.”

In the previous life, she didn't really offer anything, only insisting that you listen to Lila, behave when with her friends, and focus on your studies. Since you had would've been living with your cousin and friends, there wasn't any need to.

You felt your eyes prick slightly in the corners. You hadn't left yet, hadn't even checked to see how much was in the envelope, but this... This was probably the most supportive you could recall your mother being with you.

“Uh... Th-thanks. Thanks, Mom. This means a lot.”

“Yes, well, try not to waste it all in one place or buy junk. You need to not only manage your finance but also maintain a good diet; don't think that just because you won't be living here now means you can just neglect your health.”

And there it was, the more familiar things you expect from her. Yet, it was still different than what you were expecting.

Rather than feeling childish and helpless with your mothers' stern talking, you felt warmth in your chest. It was akin to your more recent moments with Margaret in this new life, during your final days at work.

“... Stay safe. And good luck, (Y/N).”

* * *

After stopping for gas and snacks (the latter being from your own money), you lean in the driver seat, having pulled into the parking lot once you were done.

Lila hadn't been there to ~~_stop you_~~ say goodbye and to wish you luck. She lived on the outskirts of town, a much closer drive to the city. You weren't sure if your parents had relayed your move date to her. It would've been very easy to call her over, ask to speak with her in person about how you'd go through with your own plans.

You had gone over in your mind how you would break the news to your cousin. In each scenario, you kept thinking about how she wouldn't agree. And how she'd be able to convince your parents that she was right. In the end, you chose to do something that took a lot of strength from you but was also pretty cowardly.

You chose to text her.

_**Lila, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this in person, but I wanted you to know I've changed my mind; I'm going to keep my plan to move to the city. I already spoke with my parents; they're worried, but they support my decision.** _

_**I know you worry too, but I need to do this. It's time for me to prove myself and make my own choices. I can't rely on everyone else to make decisions for me.** _

_**If I do mess this up, I know I can always go back to you, to take up your offer. I hope you understand.** _

_**I'd say good luck with your new place and with school, but I'm not worried. You've never struggled as much as I did in studies and you're amazing with other people. I will say take care.** _

_**Going to be driving and busy with moving, sorry if I can't reply to you soon if you message me.** _

_**Love you.** _

You paused, staring at the lengthy text you had typed out, double-checking for errors. Your thumb hesitantly hovering over the send button, hand shaking slightly.

In all honesty, you should have spoken to your cousin in person; she was family, and family was in the end understanding. Lila was practically your sister, with all the time you've spent with her. Surely she'd understand and give you a chance like your parents were doing now.

That is what most families would do on fiction, right? Simply be supportive, even if they didn't fully understand your reason or were worried about you.

Even with these thoughts swirling in your head, you couldn't get your mind off the last time you spoke with her. How she barely gave you any room to talk. But you chalked it up to how it was because you were an introvert. A shy wallflower who was too nervous to socialize properly and too timid to confront anyone.

Another part of you worried that the skeletons would treat her badly, but that was instantly squashed; Lila was naturally good with people, always polite and friendly. The friendship they had with her eventually grew into something more in the previous life, you had no doubts that would be any different in this new one.

You shake your head, trying to ignore the discomfort in your chest and the occasional strange thoughts springing up from the corners of your mind. Looking back at the phone, you took a deep breath before hitting send. Placing your phone in the passenger seat, you turn your focus to pulling out of the parking lot, ready to continue on to Ebott.

There should be no concern about your cousin. She'd forgive you for not telling her in person.

She'd be fine. She'd understand.

* * *

Seven missed calls, four voice messages, and eight unread texts.

When you finally pulled into the parking lot connected to Solace Apartments, you were finally free from having to focus on your driving. Your anxiety kept spiking with each ring and buzz from your phone, leaving it be in favor of focusing on not crashing due to nerves. The sounds only starting not even five minutes after leaving the gas station.

As you stared at your phone in disbelief at how your cousin had repeatedly messaged you in the short time frame of an hour, you cursed yourself for being such a coward. Despite this, you opted to simply slip your phone into one of your bags. To just focus on moving everything to your studio.

You kept assuring yourself that you just wanted to finish this, to get everything in before you had the chance to even forget about anything else left in the car.

After locking the car for now, you made your way to the entrance. Huffing slightly, you had managed to slip on a backpack while dragging a heavy suitcase that your parents had given to you for trips. The former filled with a few toiletries you had purchased at the dollar store and a few other personal items, the latter was filled to the brim with all your clothes, carefully folded in a way that was to save space; you were so grateful to have studied how to move efficiently, so happy that the internet had different sites that showed what could be possible and how to do it.

Still, how the hell could this stuff be so heavy? If moving basic stuff like this was hard, it would be more of a challenge to get everything else up to your studio. You were suddenly relieved that you didn't get your computer; the last thing you needed was to accidentally drop such precious possessions and make a scene.

… Of course, you were probably making a scene now, with how much you were struggling.

“Are you dying or something? Cuz it sounds like you are.”

You yelped, whipping your head to see who you had thought was Mirage for a second, before noticing the differences; this fox monster was shorter than the lady you had met a few days ago, and rather than casual business clothes, she wore what made her look like a moody teenager. But like Mirage, she had an unreadable expression.

Your face turned red slightly, realizing that you were indeed drawing attention to yourself. “S-sorry, I-!”

“What are you apologizing for?”

You wince at the question; you were so accustomed to apologizing, whether for your shortcomings when around your family or trying to ease the skeletons, it was just out of habit. Instead of answering, you resumed dragging your bag, despite feeling the pair of eyes on you.

“... You know, we do have flatbeds and dollies in storage.” You look back at her, surprised at this new bit of information. You suddenly felt a mix of relief and awkwardness, but...

“W-would it be okay to, you know-?”

“Wouldn't be bringing it up for nothing,” the fox monster shrugged, opening the door to the building. “Be right back”

With an exhausted sigh, you set your bag down, sitting on a nearby bench. While grateful for getting some assistance, you silently scolded yourself for drawing attention to yourself, hating how helpless you were in just simply moving your own things.

You were so lost in thought, you didn't notice the young fox returned until you heard the wheels rolling across the sidewalk. Getting up, you do your best to lift your bag onto the flatbed cart.

“Um, there are more boxes in the car. Would it be alright if I...?”

“It's why I brought this thing out here.” You make your way around to push the cart closer to your car, feeling your anxiety rise slightly; her distant attitude towards you felt a little too similar to some of the skeletons.

After unlocking, you make your way to the back seats to pull the boxes closest to you to start with.

“Name's Vixeen, by the way,” your new acquaintance began suddenly as you started carefully getting boxes out, “But most people just call me Vixey.”

“I-I'm (Y/N).” You felt a little bad; here was a stranger helping you out and you didn't even have the courtesy to ask for her name.

“I know. Mom mentioned you a couple of days ago,” was her indifferent response.

Her mom? That certainly explained why she resembled a younger version of Mirage.

You nearly jump at the sound of vibrating from your backpack. Your cousin was most likely trying to contact you again. A long pause was held between you and Vixey, who raised an eyebrow as you made no move to pull off your bag. “You gonna answer that?”

“Uh, no. No... I already know who it is,” you continue to ignore the vibrating, only moving until it stopped. Realizing how weird it must have looked, you quickly added, “It's kinda complicated.”

Vixey merely nodded, walking over to the bar of the cart. She spared a glance at the things you managed to fit onto the flatbed and the few remaining boxes. “Is that all you really brought with you?”

You wince, after locking the car, you start pushing your way towards the building, further surprised that Vixey was still helping you move your things. “I didn't have enough money for movers o-or time to, well, earn more.”

Time was a luxury you couldn't waste. While it would've been nice to keep working overtime at your old hotel, despite your exhaustion increasing, you didn't want to miss the chance of moving away before school started.

* * *

Vixey had hung around to help you back and forth from your car to the studio. Thank God this place had elevators, you weren't sure how you'd managed to get everything up the stairs.

After she departed with the flatbed cart, you briefly wondered if Vixey would inform her mom about your strange behavior. Would she think you were being monster-phobic or something suspicious? You weren't certain how you were going to deal with that if it was brought up. You didn't want to think how quickly you'd be kicked out so soon.

With a heavy sigh, you flop onto the floor. Since you didn't have a mattress or even a sleeping bag (something you realized too late that you didn't consider before leaving), you'd have to make due by making a little nest from blankets and your pillow.

Your parents gave you some plastic dishes they had since you were younger, the colorful images long faded over time. They didn't have much of them, preferring to use the ceramic set for meals. You also had your favorite mug to drink from, so that was a relief. They were surprisingly willing to allow you to take one of the pots and a frying pan with you, though it only occurred to you now that you didn't have any utensils to cook with them.

Another thing to add to your list, apparently.

You allowed yourself to rest a moment longer, allowing your mind to relax after all the stress of preparing for this. You'd have to go out and buy food you could afford, certain it'd be cheap, easy prep stuff. Things like instant noodles, crackers, etc.

The apartment came with a microwave above the oven, but the food would mostly be for when you were at school and work. Feeling a twinge of the guilt of not keeping your promise to your mom about eating healthy right away. You were certain that you didn't have the money to spend on actual food to cook.

Even with your struggles still ahead of you, especially far from the skeletons and the Lodge, you couldn't bring yourself to care, even as you laid on the hardwood floor. Despite how drained you were and uncertain about the future, the chance at a new life fills you with Determination.

Determination that only slightly shrank away when you heard your cell vibrate once more. This time around, after allowing it to continue ringing, you pull your phone out of your backpack only to switch it off.

* * *

Right across from the complex was a grocery store run by a purple monster bunny; you could see a number of monster brand items as well as some recognizable human brands.

You pushed your cart down the aisles, having made a few selections of things you needed. More than once, you found yourself anxious around certain food items. Frozen burritos, ready to bake lasagna, and taco shells. You couldn't even go past the condiment section without thinking about the skeletons who downed the stuff like drinks.

You wondered how long it would be until your brain stopped thinking about them, how long until you could just eat food normally without having to keep looking over your shoulder to make sure those skeletons weren't there. It made some of the meals you had with your parents awkward. Thankfully they never noticed and you never had an outburst.

Hell, not all of the skeletons had hurt you the same way as most of them did, but it still brought discomfort thinking about them. The feelings they left behind carried on into this new life.

Forcing yourself past the pasta, you pause taking a look at all the ramen packs, contemplating which ones to get. You were so absorbed, not paying attention to where you were going until you started drifting back towards the edge where the spaghetti noodles stood alongside the instant noodles.

Not realizing it until you bumped into someone. A very tall, hard, and boney someone.

“OH! CAREFUL, HUMAN!” A cheerful voice boomed beside you.

Your entire being froze, feeling your heart stop, breathing coming to a halt. Slowly, you turned to your side, craning your head just to see them. The incident at the Spiders Parlor aside, you were certain that you wouldn't be running into anyone familiar from the previous life again. And yet, there stood the ever-smiling skeleton Papyrus, completely oblivious to your terror.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully, this next chapter will help make up for the massive delay for the previous one. Might think about posting these on Mondays, given that the last two were posted on one. Maybe not weekly, but wanna avoid taking too long as the last chapter. I Will definitely try once every other Monday, though.
> 
> OOOOOOOOOoooooo, a familiar face and a new one! How will things turn out? And just why is Lila persistently messaging MC for?  
> To those curious, Vixey is an OC I made a while back for Undertale. I have a picture of her on my Tumblr.
> 
> Also, the last thing before vanishing into the shadows, but what do you all think about me making a separate fic, one connected to this one? It'd be focusing on the PoV of the characters besides the reader, but in third person. But then again, I could post third person PoVs in this story as well while sticking to second person for the reader.  
> What do you all think?


	4. Stress After Stress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of course your luck couldn't last forever, but then again did it ever?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic was inspired by:  
> -[The Understudy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20819807/chapters/49490048) by Fizzleup  
> -[There's Still Magic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352289/chapters/55946242) by RosesCry  
> -[House... Mate?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24130873/chapters/58098121) by Darkross

So far, this new life of yours seemed too good to be true.

Not living at the Lodge, your parents allowing you to make your own plans, moving into your own home for the first time, it all seemed too easy. You had even managed to land a job at a fancy hotel and begun a trial run to live in a studio with a good rent on the same day!

It all felt surreal, how lucky you seemed. You really should have known it wouldn't last forever. The grinning skeleton before you was proof of that.

You recalled how Papyrus was one of the few that made what seemed to be a genuine effort in befriending you. Like most of the other skeletons back at the Lodge, he stood tall, probably a little over six feet if you cared enough to estimate. He always wore armor and a red scarf that seemed to flap in the wind like a cape, making him appear like he was a superhero or something.

He was also loud, energetic, confident, and more than often forgot the meaning of personal space. That aside, he was certainly nicer than most guys you were usually stuck being around.

Despite how different you were in personalities, you decided to take the chance of becoming friends with him. He would often drag you out of the house (not literally, thankfully) to go for walks along the trails near the Lodge, insisting that some exercise would be good for your health.

You turned down his offer for him to train you with jogging or in cooking. You had seen the more energetic skeletons training more than once and knew instantly even the smallest exercise would be too much for your weak body and while his cooking was pretty good, the aftermath in the kitchen suggested that even Papyrus' culinary skills could be a hazardous process to a regular person like you.

Besides, while you weren't a culinary genius, you still knew how to cook. You had cooked dinner sometimes as well as bake occasionally, doing what you could in self-improvement. You always did what you could to help out, even if it meant no one believed you once.

It had been exhausting spending time with an extrovert like Papyrus, but the more time you spent with him, the more you started trusting him. You appreciated the effort he had made in befriending you.

This only added to the pain later on. As the distrust for you in the Lodge grew, Papyrus began to distance himself from you, more than often keeping whatever conversation you had with him short. Only showing his sunny personality with his family or Lila. He along with the others didn't believe you, not even trying to listen to your side of the story whenever something happened.

While Papyrus didn't verbally or physically hurt you, as so many of the others had, he had broken your trust like it was nothing. Just leaving you behind like your budding friendship meant nothing.

You expected this from others, especially since they often made zero effort in even conversing with you. But Papyrus?

“HELLOOOO? HUMAN?”

You blinked back to reality, remembering that you were still in the store and that the skeleton you had been recalling was still in front of you, now waving a gloved hand in front of your face.

You could recognize what was likely concern on his face. How was a skeleton so expressive? That was something you could never understand, even if you were often terrible at reading other people.

“DID YOU FALL ASLEEP WHILE STANDING? MY BROTHER DOES THAT OFTEN!”

“Uh, n-no! No...” You answer a little too quickly, walking back slightly, bumping into your cart in the process. You felt anxious at the mere mention of 'brother.' “Just... Just never saw a skeleton before. S-sorry if tha-”

“OH! NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE, HUMAN!” Papyrus then struck a pose, as he often did in the previous life. “SO MANY HUMANS ARE OFTEN IN AWE OF MY PRESENCE! SOME EVEN RUN OFF BEFORE MAKING A PROPER INTRODUCTION, SO OVERWHELMED BY MY GREATNESS!”

You felt like running yourself, but for a different reason. While you knew that Papyrus wasn't the aggressive sort, it was the fact that he was rarely alone. The question remained who else was with him.

“ANYWAY! WHERE ARE MY MANNERS? SO RUDE OF ME TO FORGET MYSELF; I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS! IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, HUMAN! I AM CURRENTLY MULTITASKING MY SHOPPING FOR BOTH MONSTER _AND_ HUMAN CULINARY DISHES!”

“Um, I...” God, why was this so damn hard? Just make the conversation quick, pay for your stuff, and get the hell out! Before you could even stumble out your name, you notice him looking directly into your cart.

“SHOULDN'T YOU BE SHOPPING FOR REAL FOOD, NEW FRIEND? I UNDERSTAND HUMANS ENJOY JUNK FOOD NOW AND THEN, BUT STILL!”

You wince, both at his volume and how he was pointing out your choices. “I-I'm on a budget. Got school a-and by myself, so this is the best I could find.”

“IS IT REALLY?” There was nothing condescending about his tone, just concern as he saw the various cheap ass items you had found. Some were even on sale. “SURELY THERE ARE HEALTHIER OPTIONS!”

In all honesty, you weren't even sure if this was the best way to budget your groceries. You had been so focused on finding work and a place to live that you didn't put much planning into anything else, like budgeting for food properly. Sure, you did look up packing efficiency, but that was it.

You swore to do some research once you got back to your studio on budgeting your groceries. But for now, you needed to find a way out of this. FAST.

“OH! PERHAPS YOU SHOULD GET SPAGHETTI NOODLES! THEY ARE INEXPENSIVE AND MAKE A SPLENDID MEAL-”

“NO!” You say too loudly, before clearing your throat to continue. Trying so hard to ignore the curious stare the tall skeleton was giving you.

“Y-you see... Spaghetti tastes better with both noodles AND sauce, right? Well, I only got one pot, so I wouldn't be able to do both...” You also didn't have anything to drain the noodles with. Wouldn’t be an issue for ramen, given that you could eat both the noodles and broth without draining.

The tall skeleton blinked for a moment, rubbing his jaw in thought. “THAT IS VERY TRUE. HM...”

“i think she's fine, bro. She's got an _eggcellent_ selection here – all the _eggsentials_!”

Papyrus places his hands on his hips, looking past you with a disapproving look. “SANS! THEY MOST CERTAINLY _NOT_ AND PUNS ARE NOT THE BEST INTRODUCTION TO A NEW FRIEND!”

Once again, you felt yourself freeze. Hesitantly, you turned around, having to look down this time. There before you was a short, stocky skeleton in a blue hoodie, a wide grin on his face. He was currently holding a carton of eggs from your cart, examining it as if it were fascinating.

You would think that a laid-back jokester like Sans was harmless, like his energetic brother, Papyrus. He'd often make a pun offhand very easily while also pranking you when he had the chance.

And boy you were wrong.

In the previous life, he appeared as so, but the moment things started turning sour at the Lodge, he would often give you the most empty-looking sockets whenever you got too close with his brother. It didn't help that he had some sort of teleporting ability, catching you off guard just when you thought you were alone. Being the skeleton in charge at the Lodge, you did your best to stay out of his way, avoid getting into any kind of trouble. But trouble always seemed to find you regardless back then.

“what? don't you know how to greet a new pal?” You had been so stunned at the fact that Sans was here so suddenly, you didn't even register that he had one of his arms out of his pockets, held out for a handshake.

You recall vaguely your first interaction with the short skeleton; he greeted you with the same words, you shook his hand and caught you by surprise with the whoopee cushion in his hand. He had quite a laugh at your stunned expression once you realized what just happened.

Seeing both skeletons watching you with expectation, you had no choice to follow through with the handshake. You raised your own hand to meet his, unable to stop the shaking.

However, once your hand was within his boney one, you did not feel the whoopee cushion, nor did you hear the telltale sign of gag. Instead, the shorter skeleton held your hand firmly before tightening his grip.

You swallowed hard; it didn't hurt, but you couldn't see a way to pull back. Looking up, you could see Sans with his usual grin, but it felt a tad forced. It didn't help that it felt like his eye lights were staring down into the depths of your soul.

“you look _really_ familiar, we meet somewhere before?”

You could feel your throat close up, heart battering in your chest as your legs began to feel weak. Somehow you managed to shake your head as a million thoughts raced through your mind.

This wasn't happening, there was no way he could remember you! You tried assuring yourself that it was because a lot of humans just looked the same. Yeah, that had to be it, it made more sense!

There was a long moment of silence, you both stared back at each other, Sans showing no sign of letting your hand go.

“WELL THEN!” You jolted slightly at the suddenness of Papyrus' loud voice, “WE BETTER GET GOING SANS! WE HAVE OTHER ERRANDS TO RUN!”

You barely register how the taller skeletons' face seemed to have an even wider grin, excitement sparkling in his sockets. How? You were not sure and you weren't curious to ask.

Sans glanced at his brother, before turning his attention back to you. Ever so slowly, he retracted his boney hand.

“yeah, we got a ton of stuff to do – a skele- _ton._ ”

“SANS!!!”

Sans continued to chuckle at his brothers' dismay, moving on to another part of the store. As they walked away, you vaguely noted how Sans had walked off with your egg carton.

You somehow managed to not collapse there in front of the noodles, grasping the forearm of the hand that Sans had in his own boney grasp.

Oh God, things weren't supposed to be like this! Why did they have to be here?!

… Okay, they technically had every right to be in the monster district, shopping for magic-based food in a monster establishment, but wasn't the Lodge supposed to be closer to the monster town? It made more sense to do some shopping there!

Taking a deep breath, you made your way back to your cart, hoping not to run into them again as you made your way to the register. You'd get more food another time, preferably on a day where you could finish your grocery shopping without having a near panic attack.

This incident aside, you were certain everything else in your new life would go smoothly.

* * *

Of course, things were not going to go smoothly. Just after leaving with your groceries and crossing the street, you find Lila standing inside the entryway, fixated on the call boxes before noticing you.

“ _There_ you are!”

You yelp, nearly dropping your bags as your cousin stormed up to you. Seeing her this furious was something you were not familiar with. Even when frustrated with you, Lila never had a scowl or glare like she had now.

“I kept calling _and_ messaging you! You didn't respond _once_!”

Shouting at you was also a new thing; your cousin never raised her voice, though she never had to with you. While that was unsettling to you, it was still mind-boggling that she was even here. How did she-?

“Is there a problem here?”

Both you and your cousin turned to see Mirage, arms crossed and stern expression, giving a reminder that she was still here. You suddenly felt embarrassed for having this conversation out in public, in front of your landlady of all people. What was this going to reflect on your trial run?

Lila recovered first, smiling sweetly at the fox monster as though she had not been furious. “There's nothing wrong here. This is a family matter.”

“I-is there...? Is there a-any chance we could talk about this in my place?” While you didn't want to continue this, you knew you had to get somewhere private. You did not want to cause a bigger scene, you couldn't get kicked out for this. You weren't sure what to do.

Mirage looked between you and your cousin. God, you sucked at reading expressions. “... Very well, just please keep in mind of the other tenants here. I don't think you'd want anyone to think too poorly of you. _E_ _ither_ of you.”

Even though you knew this was directed at both you and your cousin, despite the part of you that scolded yourself for this attention, Mirage's gaze seemed focused on Lila as she said the last part. She wasn't the one on the trial run, why would she be saying this directly to her?

Before leaving, Mirage looked towards you. “Take care dear, hope you enjoy your stay here.”

After watching the fox monster enter her office, Lila turned to you, her glare back in place. “Lead the way.”

* * *

After finally getting into your studio, you breathed out in exhausted relief after placing the grocery bags onto the counter. Your poor nerd arms.

With that done, you turned to your cousin, who was scanning your new living space, arms crossed.

“So... Are you gonna tell me what's going on? Like, why you decided to ditch me and live alone like _this_?” At the last part, she gestured her arms out to the entire apartment, pretty empty save for your boxes and bags. You rub your forearms sheepishly, unable to help but feel even more embarrassed; with what little you had, it did seem pretty depressing.

It was, but you didn't want any more reminders of it.

“I-I couldn't... Really cancel the lease,” You should have felt ashamed at how much you were lying to your cousin. But you doubted she would just accept your ' _I need to be independent on my own_ ' speech. “They... They have most tenants do a trial run for, like, a month, and-”

“A _month_? Do you really think you could last a month, living by yourself in the city? Especially in these parts?”

That felt a little harsh, but even with how nice the monster district appeared, you knew it was often a target for hate crime against monsters. Yeah, that was probably what she was referring to.

It still hurt that she still didn't have faith in you. Your parents, while having their own concerns, were still trusting you enough to make your own choice here.

There was a strange, raw feeling in your chest. You felt anxious and yet frustrated as you looked your cousin right in the face.

“ _Look_. I told you before, I can't cancel my lease. Mom and dad both trust me to do my best out here. I need a chance to be able to do this, but only if you let me. If I mess up, I can still take you up on that offer. Just trust me.”

Lila's eyebrows were raised at the firmness in your voice, how you managed to say that with zero stutter. She was not expecting this, and honestly, neither were you. It felt strange talking to your cousin like this. Something about it filled you with Determination.

“Yeah. Fine, I suppose I should...” That felt... A little too easy. Lila had rarely listened to you when you wanted to voice your opinion, insisting that her way was the best. Usually, she was right, but this was something that couldn't be up for debate.

After a moment of silence, her expression became softer, more sweet and demure.

“Do you think you could at least help me out when I move in with my friends? I _really_ wanted to bake them something for welcoming me into their home~!”

You thought back to the previous life; your cousin had made a similar request as soon as it got closer to the school year starting. She had asked you to bake something sweet, you had settled on baking cookies. They came out pretty good, the skeletons seemed to love them.

Though...

Everyone kept complimenting _Lila_ for making such a delectable treat, how she didn't have to make a lovely gesture. At the time, you had been so shocked at the prospect of moving in with the skeletons, _you_ didn't try to correct them that you were the one who baked the cookies.

… At the time, you didn't really take in the fact that your cousin didn't even deny the fact. She just accepted the credit for the work you did – like everything else at the Lodge.

“Sorry, but... I don't have any ingredients...” You had eggs among your groceries, but not much beyond that could be used for baking anything. Oh wait, Sans had taken your eggs and you were too shell-shocked to even think about grabbing another carton. Never mind.

There was a pause, Lila's expression looking slightly strained. “If I got you some mix, could you make something then?”

“I don't have any pans for baking or-”

“I could get that for you too!”

You stared at your cousin, shocked at her insistence. While you should've been grateful for getting more pans and ingredients, you could feel confusion was coursing through you; why was she so set on _you_ making something for her friends? She was the one moving in this time, shouldn't _she_ make the effort?

“W-well... I'm going to be busy with work and... Stuff,” You replied awkwardly. If you had looked away, like you usually did in confrontations, you might have missed the slight twitch in Lila's expression. What was her problem?

“A-anyway, if you can get all those things, couldn't _you_ bake something?”

“You _know_ I can't cook, (Y/N).” Your cousin was slowly losing the kind disposition that she often radiated. You couldn't really put your finger on what was slowly emerging, but... It was unsettling, without a doubt.

“Then why not just buy something? There are some places around here that sell good stuff. Like the cafe nearby, the Spiders Parlor.” You knew at least two skeletons seemed to like that place, but you weren't sure if the others did. You also weren't sure if they did bigger orders either.

Lila gave you one last look, her expression unreadable. “ _FINE_. I'll be seeing you then, I'll make sure there is a place for you at my friends' place.”

With that, your cousin had departed, shutting your apartment door not too lightly, causing you to wince slightly at the loud noise.

After about a minute, you sank down to the floor, taking shuddering deep breaths. This was not how you wanted your first day in your new place to be, not how you wanted to start this chapter of your life.

You weren't sure how long you were on the ground, having shifted your position to your arms and knees, gasping for air as your face was streaming with wetness. Whether it was from tears from everything just coming apart or drool as you desperately tried getting your breathing under control, you weren't sure.

After a while, you managed to pull yourself off the floor. In a daze, you turned your head towards the windows, taking note of how the light outside was fading, the day giving way to evening. It cast shadows in your near-empty studio, including the bags in the kitchen.

God, you had hoped nothing went bad during your ~~argument~~ conversation with your cousin. The only silver lining is that you hadn't lost control of your emotions during it.

It took a lot of effort to pull yourself up from the ground, using the wall as support. You managed to force yourself towards the kitchen, on autopilot to put away the rest of the groceries. As you did so, you thought back to how terribly this day went; you ran into the skeletons you swore to never let yourself come near again, and Lila showing up ~~demanding~~ requesting you give up and live with her.

Shaking your head slightly, you began to get your brain to work, to form a strategy on what to do.

One of the first things you needed to do was work towards getting to know your neighbors, prove that you weren't going to be trouble to them in the future. Some of them already seemed nice, even the fox from earlier, Vixey was it? Even though you couldn't really tell what she was feeling towards you, she was kind enough to help you move your stuff to your new studio and her mom was real civil. Mirage had been patient with you during the interview and polite enough not to get involved with you and your cousins' ~~argument~~ conversation.

And if the encounters at the Spiders Parlor and the market were anything to go by, the skeletons usually frequently visited this district. You came back to the conclusion that there were specific things they needed that only certain shops provided.

That made more sense than the idea of them following you here, your interaction with Papyrus showed he didn't have any recollection of you from the previous life. You didn't get the chance to interact with Stretch and Rus from the cafe, glad that they didn't even notice you. If they did see you, would they?

Sans, he... He felt like a completely different story. His actions, while subtle, were very different from your first encounter with him in the previous life. But still, there was no way he could remember you from the previous life and even if he did, what would he want with you now?

Then there was Lila, your cousin. All the complicated thoughts and feelings that came with her presence or even just thinking about her. ~~The nagging doubt that was slowly making its way out of the corner of your mind.~~

After the last of your groceries was put away in the fridge, you chose to leave the paper bag on the floor, you'd deal with it later. For now, you just wanted to get started on making your nest of blankets and rest. As you spread the comforter onto the floor, hoping it'd provide some cushion on the hardwood floor, your tired mind kept returning to your situation, debating what to do next.

If your time at school taught you anything, you did better when you had all the information you knew written down, to help you remember and focus on important details. Things that had happened in the previous life and the skeletons that were involved. ~~And the faint memories of Lila.~~

Starting early tomorrow morning, when you were alert and focused enough to properly explore the monster district, you'd see if you could get a fresh journal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoping I could get this done on time. Of course, MC can't keep having a lucky streak - it'd be way too easy and boring of a fic if it ended with her getting a simple life in the city.  
> Also, did some edits in the previous chapters, nothing too major, just like grammar and such.
> 
> LET THE DRAMA BEGIN!!! *Pushes cart full of MC Protection Squad merch, right next to another cart full of pitchforks and torches* >8D
> 
> I also realized I didn't add a link before but made a pic of both Mirage and Vixey, hopefully, it'll go through just fine this time!  
> Mirage and Vixey  
> EDIT: The link isn't working, uuuuugggggh....  
> My tumblr is nocturnaldaydreamer.

**Author's Note:**

> Not much right now, want to take my time with this fic, but also will try not to take forever.


End file.
